Can-labeling-machine pick-up cement heater



July, 3, 1928. 1,675,397

C. H. WILD CAN LABELING MACHINE PICK-UP CEMENT HEATER Filed July 18,1924 5 sheets sheet l July 3, 1928. J 1,675,397

c. H. WILD cm LABELING momma non-u? 0mm HEAT-ER Filed July 18, 1924 3Sheets-Sheet 2 July 3, 1928.

c; H. WILD CAN LABELING MACHINE PICK-UP CEMENT HEATER Filed July 18,1924 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 I gumm @Q ,mmuq

Patented July 3, 1928.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES H. WILD, 0F BALTIMORE, MAnYLAivn, assxenon T0 BURT MACHINE Connrm, INCORPORATED, A CORPORATION OF MARYLAND.

OAN-LABELING-MACHINE PICK-UP CEMENT HEATER.

Application filed July 18,

In the operation of labeling cans, which in every cannery of anyconsiderable capacity is performed by special automatic machines knownas labeling machines through which the cans are rolled on ways, pickingup the labels as they go, the cans are first spotted with cement orglueand then passed over the label pack, the spot of cement or glue on eachcan causing it to pick ups. label as it passes, each label being thusrolled about the corresponding can and finally secured by pasting thelap end.

The glue or cement, known in thetrade as pick-up glue, by means of whichthe cans are spotted to enable them to pick up the labels, is at normaltemperatures solid or semi-solid, and is kept hot in a suitablereceptacle in the machine during the entire OpOIEll/lOILOf the machine,each machine being provided with heating means for this purpose.

The cement or glue which is used in this way comes in large cans holdingseveral gallons which when cold is a solider semisolid hard or stickyinassof the consistency of resin or pitch, and must be dug or brokenfrom the cans. This results in waste from failure to empty the cans. Ifan operator :forgets to fillthe glue pot in connection with his machine,and the glue or cement is permitted to run out, it is necessary todiscontinue the operation of the machine until a new supply can beheated in the glue pot, the heating capacity of which is not ordinarilysuflicient to perform this operation quickly, the heating apparatus inthe glue pot being rather intended to maintain the glue in liquidcondition than to melt hard cement, so that a delay results.

Theobject of the present invention is to provide an apparatus by meansof which the cans of pick-up glue may be heated and emptied withoutloss, the apparatus in cluding a chamber in which thecans are heated andmeans for heating them dlrectly and a receptacle at'thebottom of theheated chamber which holds and maintains continually a supply of liquidglue or cement, and has means for heating the liquid glue to keep it inliquid condition, the apparatus including a drain cock Or tapwith avalve mainly 1924. Serial No. 726,889.

vicinity of a heating unit, which at the time of starting, i. e., whenthe first can of glue is heated, is supplied with heat sufiicient to lquefy the material. The heating chamber is completely closed as to thebottom portion,

which serves as a receptacle for the liquid cement, and 1s also providedwith a heating unit at the bottom, which is submerged in the liquefiedmaterial, keeping it heated to the point ofliquefaction.

While it is deemed necessary to apply heat directly, by means of a heatunit in the immediate vicinity of the can, to the first can which isplaced in. the-heater at the beginning of operations, the heat radiatedfrom the liquid material] which is maintained at a temperature above thetemperature of liquefaction by the submerged heating units, issufiicient to melt the contents of the cans, subsequently inserted,except when the material in the heater or oven becomes wholly or almostwholly exhausted, as in instances of negligence and oversight on thepart of the attendant. I 7

By means of this apparatus I remove the glue or cement from the cans andprovide a continuous supply of liquid cement always ready to replacethat in the cement or glue pots on the machines, thus overcoming thedifficulties previously encountered.

In the accompanying drawing I have illustrated a can label pick-up glueheater in accordance with my invention.

In the drawings Figure 1 is a front elevation of the apparatus in thepreferredform.

Figure 2 is a horizontal section of the same on the line 2, 2 of Figure1.

Figure 3 is a vertical section parallel to the plane of Figure 1 and onthe line 3, 3 of Figure 2.

a Figure 4! is a horizontal section on the line 4, t of Figure 1. i

Figure 5 is a front elevation of a slightly it b different form ofapparatus having two heating units instead of one in the innnediatevicinity of the can being treated.

Figure 6 is a fragmentary enlarged vertical section on the line (3, 6 ofFigure 2 looking to the left in said Figure.

Figure 7 is a plan of the electrical circuit employed in heating theapparatus shown in Figures 1 to 4 inclusive.

Figure 8 is a plan of the electric heating circuit employed in theapparatus, Figures 5 and 6, both said terms of the invention beingelectrically heated.

Figure 9 is an elevation of the upper portion of the apparatus showing asteam heating coil in place of the electric heating element which heatsthe cans containing the cement, i. e., the upper heater.

Figure 10 is a horizontal section showing the lower heating elementwhere steam heating is employed.

Figure 11 is a section on the line 11, 11, Figure 9, showing the upperheating element in the steam heated device in plan.

Referring to the drawings by numerals, each of which is used to indicatethe same or similar parts in the ditl'erent figures, the apparatus,asshown, consists of an upright structure in the nature of a cabinet 1comprising a chamber or oven 2 consisting of outer walls 3 of wood,terminating below in legs or supports 41, so that the casing or chamberis placed a foot or more above the floor, and inner walls 4 of sheetmetal preferably spaced inwardly from the outer walls to provide aninterwall air or vacuum space 5, the interwall members being supportedon suitable struts 6..

The chamber or oven 2, as shown, is of elongated rectamgular shape abouttwice as high as it is wide and having a door opening '7 in the upperhalf, closed by a door 8. Below the door the chamber is completelyclosed at the sides torming a container for the melted or liquid cement,as hereinafter low the level of the door opening 7, transversehorizontal suppports in the nature of straps 9 spaced apart less thanthe width of the cement cans to be treated. These extend from one sideto the other of the cha1nher and are turned at right angles as to theends 10, which ends 10 are secured to the walls byrivets or bolts 11passing through these ends, and the sheet material 4 forming the innerwalls.

I have also shown a transverse support 13 at the rear in thenature of anangle having an upwardly projecting flange l l serving as positioningmeans for the cans.

At the bottom of the receptacle I have shown a drip cock or spigot 16 inany suitable torm, the same being controlled by a valve which may be aplug valve or gate valve having a stem 17 and handwheel or othersuitable control. The drip cock, as shown, includes an elbow 18connected to the T valve casing 19, the other end of the valve casingbeing open at 20, and the valve packing box 21 extending outward throughthe metal walls l and having one nut 22 on the inside of the wall, and asecond nut 23 on the outside of the wall whereby the valve chamber orcasing is held in position by tightening the nuts. The elbow 18 isconnected to a short section of pipe 9A which extends downward throughthe bottom of the oven or cabinet and may be suitably held by means ofnuts 25 and 26. In this connection it is important to note that the dripcock and valve, except for the projecting end 24, are entirely withinthe heated receptacle and are thus kept free for the flow ot the meltedcement or glue, the constant temperature above the melting point of thematerial thus maintained preventing hardening of the glue in thepassage, and consequent obstruction of the passage.

The cans of cement or glue being first opened at the top, are invertedand placed in the oven or heater in inverted position with the open topedges of the can resting on the supports 9, 13, see Figure 3, and whenthe contents of the cans is heated by means of the can heating unit 28,shown in the form of a heating member which is semicircular in plan, andwhich in the form shown in Figure 3 is heated by means of an electriccoil illustrated diagrannnatically in Figure 7 and to be hereinafterdescribed.

It is at present regarded as necessary to energize the heating unit 28only when the temperature of the heater or oven 2 is down on account ofthe apparatus having been out of operation or the supply ot glue hav ingbeen exhausted, an immediate supply is necessary, and, further, onaccount of the absence of a supply of melt ed glue, the apparatus hascomparatively little stored heat or heat units to be imparted to theglue in the cam which is being placed in the chamber to be melted asaforesaid.

In Figure 5 I have shown an apparatus similar to that illustrated inFigure 3 eX- cept that it supplied with two scmi-circular can heatingunits 29 and 31, one over the other, and substantially parallel andintended to be in close heat-imparting relation with the can to beheated during the operation of the heater. This gives a variable heatingcapacity to this portion of the apparatus, the coils contained in thesaid heating units being capable of separate operation as illustrated inthe diagram, Figure 8. V

In Figures 2, 3 and 6 I have shown in addition to the can heating units28, or 29, and 31, intended to be in direct contact with the can, otherheating units 3?; and 3-2;,

These pipes enclose the heating units 33,

345, each comprising in this instance an electric coil illustrateddiagrammatically 1n Figures 7 and 8, and tote later described,

extend at their rear ends into the immediate vicinity of the drain cookor plug valve 16, and at their opposite ends 37 they are open andprotrude from the casing or cabinet- 1. In the opcration'ot the oven orcement heating apparatus, these heating units are continuously or almostcontinuously energized, serving to maintain'the liquefied cement at atemperature above the point of liquefaction and to keepthe drip cock ata corresponding temperature so that the liquid cement may be easily andconveniently drawn oif as required into a small receptacle as indicatedby reference character 38 in Figure 1, to be transported to and placedin the glue or cement pot of the labeling machine or machinesiln-Figures 9, 10 and 11 I have shown steam heating coils 42 audit}, thecoil 42 being substituted for the lower heating units 83, 341, and thecoil 43 for the can.

heating unit 28 or the can heating units 29 and 31. These may bearranged in any suitable manner. The 001142 as-shown is U-shapcd havingtwo parallel horizontal legs connected together by the ,crossarmof the Uand one OfSitlCl legs being connected main 45 by a pipe 52 and havingtherein a valve 53. The coil is drainedby a trap 54 connected tothe-lower leg of the coil 51.

In Figure 7 I have shown a circuitplan of theelectric heating apparatusin Figures 1, 2, 3, 4 and 6, and in Figure 8 I have shown a circuitplanet the heating apparatus in Figure The diagram Figure 7 includespositive and negative mains 56 and 55, the heating units 33 and 84- forthe liquid cementor glue receptacle shown in' Figure 3 sub merged in theliquid nearthe bottom, containing electric coils 58 and 59 connectedinseries acrossthe mains and 56 by way of a switch 60ofany preferred type.The diagram also includes a heating unit 28 corresponding to thesemicircular can heating member 28 of Figure 4 containing a heating coil61 connected across the mains 55 and 56, and having in one saidconnection a switch 62 for throwing'gthe coil into and out of circuitindependently ofthe coils 58 and 59. i i

The diagram of Figure 8 which applies particularly to the form ofapparatus illustrated in Figure 5, shows two heating units 33, 34corresponding exactly to those described in l igurefi, under the samereference numerals, except as to the manner of connecting the electricalcircuit and containing coils 58 and 59. These coils are connected inseries across the plus and minus mains 65 and 66. Thisiconnectioncomprises a conductor 67 connecting the corresponding terminals of thetwo coils 58 andv59, the conductor 68 and '68 connecting thelotherterminal of the coil 59 to the plus main 65 and a conductor 69connecting theother terminal of the coil 58 to the minus main 66. Thecircuit includes a two-point switch 70, the swinging arm or blade ofwhich, 71, is connected to the main .65, by conductor 68, one of theswitch contacts 72 being connetted to the coil 59 by the conductor 68and the otherswitch contact 73 being in the connection 67. By placingtheswitch arm or blade 71 in contact with the terminal 73,

the coil 59 is cut out of circuit,:and by placing it in contact with theterminal 72, the coils 58 and 59 are connected in series.

The conductor 69 which connects the coil 58 to the main 66 containsathree-point switch 75 having the swinging arm 76 thereof connected byone portion of the conductor 69 to the coil 58. One terminal] of thisswitch marked High is connected by the other portion of theconductor 69to the minus main 66, and the three contactpoints of the switch markedHigh, Medium and Low are connected together by a resistance 77,78.

In the operation of thisportion of the circuit it is apparent that thecoil 59, which it will be understood is in the heating unit 34, which isone of the units 33, 34 at the bottom of the liquid glueor cementreceptacle, may be cut out at will by throwing i the switch arm 71 incontact with the terminal 7 3. These coils are out in and out dependingupon the amount of heat desired at the bottom of the liquid cementreceptacle.

The heat in these coils may be further varied or entirely out out bymeans of the switch 75. When the switch arm 76 is in contact with thehigh terminal, and both of the coils 58, 59 are in circuit, the switcharm 71 being on the contact point 72, the maxi mum heating effect isobtained, and thisheating effect is reduced without cutting out theextra coil 59 by moving the switch arm 7 6 into contact with the mediumpoint or the low point as may be found lit! units desirable, and threeother heating effects are obtained by use of these three points, High,Medium and Low, with the single coil 58, the coil 59 being cut out asalready described.

The diagram, Figure 8,-corresponding to Figure 5, also includes the twoheating units 29 and 31 containing coils SO and 81, which as shown areconnected together in parallel across the mains and 66 by conductors 81and S2, and conductors 83 and 84 which con- 7 nect the respective endsofthe coils together. The conductor 81 contains a three-point switch 85having High, Low and Medium terminals so marked and an oft-termi nalalso marked with the word Off, the high, low and medium terminals beingconnected by a resistance 86 and 87. The swinging arm 88 of the switchis connected to one portion of the conductor 81 and the high terminal isconnected to the other portion of this conductor. By moving the switcharm 88 from one terminal to the other, cutting the resistance in or out,a high, low or medium heating effect is obtained with the two coils incircuit. The

conductor 84 which connects two correspond mg ends of the coils 80 and81 contains a single point switch 89 between the junction of theconductors 82 and 84, and the end of the coil 80 whereby the coil 80 maybe cut out, so that with the switch 81 and switch 85, three more heatingeffects are obtained,

The operation of the device has been quite fully discussed in thepreamble and in connection with the description of the apparatus.

In accordance with the operation of the present device the cement cansare opened at the top and placed in the heater in in verted position onthe rack 9, 13. The operation of the apparatus is intended to becontinuous with the operation of the corresponding labeling machines, ofwhich one such heater will serve one, two or several machines.

1n starting when the machine and glue are cold, the upper heating units28 or 29, 31 or 50, 51, in accordance with the construct-ion of theparticular machine, are then placed in full operation, and as soon asthe cement begins to flow, the lower heating 3?, 34 are also energized,so as to maintain the cement which accumulates in the bottom of theheating chamber, as shown at 93 in Figure 3, in a liquid or fluidcondition. IVhen the can of cement is emptied into a receptacle, theupper heating units are shut ofl" and the can may be removed. lVhen theliquid in the bottom of the receptacle is drawn down below a certain predetermined point a new can is inserted, similarly opened at the top andinverted and the operation continued When the apparatus is fully heatedand contains a considerable amount of heated cement at the bottom, thecan-heating units at the top of the chamber are generally foundunnecessary, sufficient heat to melt the cement being obtained from thelower heating units and the heated liquid, but in starting after ashut-down, as in the morning, and when the cement is nearly exhaustedfrom the bottom of the chamber, the can heating units are deemednecessary and are placed in operation to heat the cement in the cans.

\Vhenever the cement or glue pot on one of the labeling machines isnearly exhausted or emptied of liquid cement, a conveniently portablereceptable 38, see Figure 1, is placed beneath the drip cock or theoutlet 24 thereof, and the valve 16 is opened to release a quantity ofliquid cement which is then carried in the receptacle to the machine andpoured into the glue pot of such machine.

In' this way all the difficulties previously incident and regarded asessential to maintaining a supply of glue or cement in the pick-up orspotting apparatus of the machines, are overcome and avoided.

It is apparent from the diagrams Figures 7 and 8, and from theillustration of the steam apparatus, that the can heating units and theliquid heating units may be varied as to the degree of heat transmittedthereby, to suit the exact convenience of the operator, and that in allinstances the coils may be in dependently operated, so that either theupper or lower units or portions thereof may be separately heated tovarying degrees of intensity, giving exactly the desired heating effectand avoiding burning of the cement and waste of heat. i

'I have thus described specifically and in detail an apparatus embodyingmy invention in various 'forms in order that the nature and operation ofthe same may be clearly understood however, the specific terms hereinare used descriptively rather than in a limiting sense, the scope of theinvention being defined in the claims.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In an apparatus for heating pick-up cement for can-labeling machines.a heating chamber having means for holding the eement cans in invertedposition. heating means adjacent the cans as thus held. and heatingmeans near the bottom of the chamher, the receptacle having an openingto ad mit the cans, and a closed portion below said opening to holdliquid cement from the cans, and means for separately controlling theheating effect in said respective heating means.

2. In an apparatus for heating pick-up &

cans in inverted position, heating means adjacent the cans as thus held,and heating means near the bottom of the chamber, the chamber having anopening at the side to admit the cans, and a closed portion below saidopening to hold liquid cement from the cans, and means for separatelycontrolling the heating eifect in said respective heating means, andvarying the heating effect as ap plied to the cans and to the liquidcement 1 separately and independently.

Signed by me at Baltimore, Maryland this 16th day of Jul 1924.

G ARLES H. VILD.

